Thanksgiving Mission
by FairyNiamh
Summary: Kakashi hated this time of year. Not only was it getting colder, but it also made him realize how utterly lonely he was. Can Naruto change his mind? First in the Holiday Missions series [KakaNaru]


Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, sadly that means I do not own it and have gained nothing but personal satisfaction for writing this.

A/N: Special thanks to Cutsycat for being my beta and constantly being on my tail about finishing this. Written in response to LJ's kakanaru community challenge; Cornucopia, dumpling, and stuffing.

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Kakashi hated this time of year. Not only was it getting colder, but it also made him realize how utterly lonely he was.

It wasn't as if his friends didn't invite him over for the holidays, but he felt like he was an intruder when he did go over. He had really wanted to have a Thanksgiving dinner with _someone_ this year. He had thought about the cute little Chuunin teacher first, he was a bit surprised at the blush that had crossed Iruka's nose when he was told that he had already had plans with Genma. He hadn't known that they were friends, though he suspected it was more than mere friendship.

His thoughts had then turned to his team. He knew that Sakura would be with her family so she was struck off of his list of possible dinner mates. Sai and Sasuke were both knocked off the list when he went to ask them and saw them locked in a heated kiss. He smiled knowing that his two most emotionally restrained students finding someone. He hadn't even thought of asking Naruto, as he was sure that the young man would be eating with the Hokage.

Sighing he laid his head on the kitchen table and thought that he would at least get some leftovers from his friends.

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Naruto had watched as Kakashi asked people through out the day about coming over to eat with him. He was a bit giddy with excitement thinking that Kakashi would ask him to eat with him. It would be the perfect opportunity for him to drop a bit of a bomb on his old teacher.

Yes, he could admit it, if only to himself, that since the age of twelve he had had a crush on one Hatake Kakashi. Though he wasn't sure that a mere crush lasted this long. Could you call it a mere crush though if he still got butterflies in his stomach after eight years?

He grew nervous as Kakashi looked over to him and smiled, then turned away and walked off. No, No that was not how it was supposed to go! Kakashi was supposed to ask him to eat with him! Did Kakashi just not care enough about him to even consider him or was it something else?

He went home feeling both dejected and rejected. When he got there he screamed about the unfairness of it all. Cried over the possibility that Kakashi didn't like him at all. Then set down plans to woo his love interest. He WOULD get the man to look at him one way or another. He got up to set his plans in motion. He only had two days to woo his teacher into inviting him. Step one; show him how much I have grown. With that in mind he gathered his needed items and made his way to the copy-nin's house.

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Kakashi looked up from his resting spot as someone knocked on his door. He couldn't imagine who could be visiting him so close to the holidays. Most of the men that he knew were running errands for their wives or girlfriends making sure that they had everything that they would need for the upcoming holiday.

Sighing he stood and headed to the door. He figured it was probably someone the Hokage sent so that he could go on an unwanted mission. When he opened the door and saw the blond Hokage in training he sighed again figuring that his suspicions were true.

"Konbanwa, Kakashi mind if I come in?" Naruto asked with a large smile on his face.

'Ah, must be important and not to be heard by anyone.' He thought before inviting the blond in.

"Haven't you eaten dinner yet Kakashi?" Naruto asked innocently while looking around the small apartment.

"Not really hungry, what can I do for you today?" The silver haired nin asked cautiously. He didn't fully trust the blond. He just wasn't acting like himself.

Naruto grinned and held out his gift in answer to Kakashi's question.

"What's this?" he asked as he carefully took the object.

"It's a cornucopia filled with fruits and vegetables. You were the one that told me proper nutrition was as important to a ninja as training was. Though I have to add just eating is also important." Naruto frowned a bit as he looked over the person who had caught his eye before adding, "Have you lost weight? You're looking a bit thinner than usual."

"A little, I've been going on a lot of missions lately remember?" he replied a bit defensively. The young man had no right asking about him. Though deep down it touched him that someone cared enough to notice.

"Well, no more missions for a few weeks. You need to gain some weight." He gently laid his hand on Kakashi's shoulder before softly saying, "I worry about you Kakashi and I would be heart broken if anything were to happen to you."

He looked up at the blond showing his shock only by barely widening his visible eye. Naruto worried about him? He thought of him at times other than to send him on missions? Well that made a bit of sense he did use to be his sensei, but why would the young man be heartbroken?

"Come on let's get some food in you before you go to bed, ok?" Naruto said before going to the cabinets to find some food for him. He was floored, as he found… nothing. The only food that seemed to be in the house was what he had just brought. He looked over to the copy nin and narrowed his eyes barely hiding his agitation. "Where is the food Hatake?"

"Meh, I haven't had time to do any shopping." Kakashi said in a bit of a worried tone. He really didn't need nor want the most powerful ninja in Konoha to get angry with him.

Naruto sighed as he headed for the door; before walking out he turned around and glared at Kakashi saying, "Don't go anywhere I'll be right back with some food. You WILL eat what I get for you, right?"

"Yeah sure anything you say Naruto." He said backing away a bit from the angry young man. Who would have thought that Naruto would have come in and inspected his house, and then get angry with him for his lack of food? Perhaps he really was a young man and not the loud-mouthed kid he had always thought of him as.

He looked up at the time and frowned a bit. Naruto had been gone for almost an hour. Surely it didn't take that long to go and get ramen and come back. He was surprised when the blond disturbed his musings by just walking in like he owned the place. He was even more surprised that there was no ramen in sight but rather bags of groceries.

"Did you buy out the supermarket?" Kakashi asked with a bit of a grin.

"Shut up and sit down while I cook you some dinner. I do eat things other than ramen you know." Naruto said in a bit of a huff as he quickly put away the things he had bought and started preparing the meat and vegetables for dinner.

"Since when did you learn to cook?" He asked curiously as the boy seemed to expertly move around the kitchen.

"Iruka-sensei got tired of me coming over for diner all of the time, something about disturbing his dinner plans, so he taught me how to cook." Naruto replied blandly.

It took him a little under half an hour to finish cooking dinner and set the plate down in front of Kakashi.

Kakashi looked at the delicious looking stir fry in front of him before taking his chopsticks and sampling it. How was he to know that the young man had turned into such a good cook, "It's good," he mumbled around a mouth full of food.

"Good, and don't talk with your mouth full, in fact don't talk. Eat. I have to go now," Naruto said a bit mournfully, "Please, eat all of your food. Mata ashita."(1)

Kakashi nodded and waved his hand at the young man. The food seemed a bit blander and the room a bit darker without him there. Still, he had said that he would see him tomorrow. He grinned as warmth he had not felt in a long time started to spread throughout his body. He finally knew that somebody cared for him, even if it was just a little bit. He quickly finished his food and cleaned up the small mess that had been left behind before going to bed with a smile on his face.

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Kakashi had slept in late that day only to wake up to the smell of fresh coffee and… he sniffed again because he couldn't believe what he was smelling, a grin broke out over his face as he got up to inspect his obviously broken into apartment.

He quickly did his morning routine before slipping on his mask and heading to the kitchen. He wasn't really all that surprised to see that a certain young blond had made himself at home and was fixing him breakfast.

"Welcome to the land of the living Kakashi, sleep well?" the blond said with a wide grin.

"Yeah, what's all of this then?" he asked, he could very easily start getting used to having his own personal ball of sunshine fixing him meals.

"Breakfast, sit and eat before it gets cold. I have to go now, but I'll be back to cook you some dinner. Again please eat and remember to eat lunch as well." Naruto said while rubbing the jounin's back before slipping out of the door and off to his daily routine.

Kakashi sat there eating his simple meal of eggs, miso soup, and rice while thinking over the sudden changes in is life. He wasn't going to complain about this change; no in fact he was trying to figure out how to make sure the change stayed.

Kakashi quickly finished his meal then set about cleaning his tiny apartment. Perhaps if it were clean the young blond would stay and eat with him tonight. It took him less than an hour to have it clean, or as clean as any bachelor pad. He frowned and decided to go and turn in his mission report before just walking through the town and waiting for tonight to get here.

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Naruto smiled as he made his way to the Hokage tower. Things were going better than he could have thought. Kakashi was smiling at him this morning when he came to eat. Actually smiling AT HIM. It had caused his heart to beat faster seeing the copy nin came in without a shirt on. Though he still had that blasted mask on. THAT would have to go, and soon.

He greeted Tsunade as he entered the office and told her that he would have to leave early for personal business. He also turned down the invitation to Thanksgiving dinner knowing that she and Shizune would be eating at Sakura's that day. As much as he liked Sakura, he had gotten over her shortly after seeing Kakashi for the first time. Though he did play at liking her for a little over a year to makes sure that his real love interest wouldn't grow suspicious. THAT had worked a little to well as she started to fawn all over him after he came back with Jiraiya. Really it wasn't any surprise that Sasuke had kept his distance from her.

He went through the day with a smile on his face, making Tsunade constantly ask him what he was up to. He would just grin bigger and told her not to worry that he wouldn't cause any trouble. A few hours before his usual leaving time he went over and gave her a big hug and kiss on the cheek telling her he would see her the day after tomorrow and to have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving.

When he reached his destination and knocked on the door loudly. He was so excited he could barely stand still. He frowned when no one answered the door, surely Kakashi had not forgotten that he was coming over to fix dinner. Looking down at his watch he smacked himself on his forehead; he was two and a half hours early. Knowing that the copy nin was not one to sit around and do nothing he went to the window he had let himself in earlier before slipping in and setting about fixing a dinner that he hoped would win him his invitation.

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Kakashi wandered through the busy streets watching the men run around gathering things that would be needed for the next day. Frowning he remembered that he would be alone tomorrow. He wondered if perhaps he could persuade Naruto to spend the day with him. He knew he was being selfish for trying to keep the blond with him, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want to be lonely anymore. He quickly went to the Hokage mountain and sat to think of the past with the blond in question.

Yes, when he had first met Naruto he had thought of him as a hyper loud mouth with no sense of fashion. He held onto that belief until Sasuke had left and almost killed the blond. He remembered the pain he felt as he saw the scar on his chest where Sasuke had obviously tried to kill him. He had pushed down his feelings at that time. He knew he should not be feeling what he had felt for the boy. Then the boy had just left. No hugs, no more loud mouth, and no more sun had come to him for the three years Naruto was training. He had seriously wanted to kill the toad hermit for taking him away.

When the boy had come back his breath had caught in his throat, he had never seen a more handsome man in his life. His sensei was almost as beautiful as Naruto, but Naruto had eyes that held so much promise and the future. He had to keep reminding himself that the boy shouldn't be touched and was still too young.

Now though, now he was no longer a boy, but a man of twenty years. He had the same brilliant eyes and so much more. Perhaps now would be the right time to make his move. Nodding his head he decided that he would talk to the blond and feel out if he could make a go at a relationship with him.

He stood and quickly made his way home. When he got there and opened the door the most delicious aroma hit him. He smiled and walked over to the blond and peeked over his shoulder.

"What's all of this then?" Kakashi asked while reaching out to grab a piece of carrot.

"Dinner," Naruto said while smacking the sneaking hand with a wooden spoon. "Stop trying to steal my vegetables and go sit down. It will be ready shortly."

Rubbing the back of his hand he quickly went to sit down making sure not to upset the spoon wielding ninja. "Meh, you didn't have to hit so hard, that hurt."

"You shouldn't have been trying to sneak my veggies then should you," he said while shaking the offensive spoon at Kakashi.

"So are you going to run off and leave me to eat alone again tonight?" Kakashi asked innocently while silently hoping that the blond would eat with him.

"Only if you want me to leave." Naruto said with a big grin. "I have nothing to do until after Thanksgiving so I can spend as much time as you want here."

"Well you're fixing dinner, it would be rather rude of me to toss you out don't you think?" Kakashi said while silently cheering his luck. He would not only be able to eat with Naruto but perhaps talk the blond into staying and watching a movie with him.

Naruto started to set out an array of food on the table from gyoza (2) and manju to rice and yakisoba. (3) "Did you remember to eat lunch?" Naruto asked as he finished laying out the miniature feast.

"Yes okaasan." Kakashi teased. He wasn't surprised that his teasing had earned him another hit with the spoon.

"Don't call me that," Naruto growled. "I worry about you."

"Meh gomen Naruto, I just couldn't resist." He said while grinning under his mask.

"I'm sure you couldn't," Naruto said blandly before walking over and placing his hand on Kakashi's cheek. "You have more color today, at least what I can see of you does."

"My face is colored just fine." Kakashi growled at the grinning face before him.

"Really? Does this mean I finally get to see your face today?" Naruto asked calmly though inside he was nervous and giddy with the thought.

"Hmm, I guess so since I have to remove it if I want to eat." He said while nervously pulling down his mask. What if the scar on his eye repulsed Naruto?

Naruto gasped as the beautiful face was revealed. He eyes roamed all over the revealed flesh doing his best to memorize it in case he never got to see it again.

"Am I that ugly?" Kakashi nervously asked as he watched Naruto gape at him like a landed fish.

"You're far from ugly," Naruto whispered before reaching over and softly stroking the exposed face. "You're so beautiful. Why do you hide your face?"

"Aren't you supposed to pull back in horror because of my scar?"

"I've never been repulsed by you. I've seen that small scar before remember?" He whispered while leaning down, he wanted to kiss those perfect lips before him. He cleared his throat and sat back while blushing. "I-I guess we should eat dinner now, before it gets cold."

They ate their meal in silence. Though both of them could not keep their eyes off of the other. When the meal was finished Naruto put away the leftovers while Kakashi cleaned the plates.

"Why don't we watch a movie?" Kakashi asked as he dried the last of the dishes and put them away.

"Yeah, I would like that. Should I make some tea or something to drink while we eat?"

"Tea sounds good," he replied while wandering over to the living room area to pick out a movie.

They watched a couple of movies while enjoying their tea and each other's presence. It couldn't have been more perfect unless they were holding on to the one they wanted.

Naruto looked over at the clock and noticed it was almost two am. Stretching and yawning he looked over to his, what was he to him? Surely not his boyfriend, at least not yet, but certainly he seemed more than just his friend. He grinned as the copy nin gave him a quizzical look. "I should be heading home," he said softly. "Thank you for the wonderful evening."

"Why don't you stay the night?"

"Ah, that would be nice, but I am sure you have people coming over or you have to head over to someone's place tomorrow and I don't want to be a burden." Naruto lied; he knew that no one would be coming the next day, nor would the copy nin be going anywhere. Still he wanted Kakashi to invite him to dinner.

"No one is coming over," Kakashi whispered while scooting closer to the blond nin's lips. "And I don't plan on going anywhere, so we would have the whole day to ourselves."

Naruto placed his index finger on Kakashi's mouth before grinning and whispering back, "Never on the first date Kakashi. I'll be back tomorrow and I'll make you some turkey, stuffing, and whatever else you want."

"Whatever I want?" he asked while leering and attempting to steal a kiss yet again.

"Yes, whatever you want."

"What if what I want to eat for Thanksgiving is you?" he whispered.

"Perhaps AFTER I feed you up, who knows, I might just make you a _very special_ dessert." Naruto whispered seductively.

"How about I _sample_ it right now?"

Naruto grinned before he slipped out from Kakashi's grasp. He bent over and placed a chaste kiss on the nose before him. "Perhaps tomorrow, mata ashita." He said while heading out the front door.

He smiled as he thought of the day and night he had just had. Mission 'Make Kakashi Invite Me to Dinner' accomplished.

Fin

See You Tomorrow.

Japanese Dumplings; pot stickers

Japanese fried noodles cooked with carrots, cabbage and a little bit of pork.


End file.
